Cases of conjunctivitis, or Madras Eye, have increased over the past week.
What’s it about? With rising cases of conjunctivitis, healthcare officials have set up a dedicated outpatient ward at the Regional Ophthalmic Institute in Egmore. Since last Monday, the hospital has been receiving at least 10 patients. Many private clinics and eye hospitals have also seen an increase in new cases over the past week.
- Patients come with classic symptoms like redness in the eyes, itching, and a discharge from the eyes. These are signs of infection.
- The small blood vessels in the conjunctiva, the transparent membrane, causes the white in the eye to appear red. Infections are common when transitioning from summer to monsoon.
Covid effect: During the pandemic, hand hygiene and social distancing norms helped prevent the spread of conjunctivitis. With restrictions eased, the infection spreads since it’s contagious. Its spread can be prevented by isolating people who have it.